Pregnancy Over Age 30
Many women today are waiting until later in life to have children. In
the United States, birth rates for women in their 30s are at the highest
levels in three decades. However, an older mother may be at increased risk
for miscarriage, birth defects, and pregnancy complications such as twins,
high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, and difficult labors. Some
studies show that while there may be a greater likelihood of pregnancy
complications in older women, their babies may not have more problems than
babies of younger women. This is more likely when women receive prenatal
care and give birth in a healthcare facility equipped to care for
high-risk mothers and babies.
Risk of chromosomal abnormalities and maternal age:
The risk of having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities increases with
maternal age. Listed below are the risks for having a baby with Down syndrome,
one of the most common chromosomal birth defects, as well as the overall
risks for having a baby with any type of chromosome abnormality, including
Down syndrome:
Maternal Age Risks for Chromosome Abnormalities
It is possible that risks may be higher as many statistics
only report live births and do not take into account pregnancies with
chromosomal abnormalities that were terminated or ended due to natural
pregnancy loss. There are approximately 400 different types of chromosome
abnormalities that have been observed in humans, however, many are rare.
The risk for Down syndrome makes up almost half of the maternal age risk
for chromosome abnormalities.
In general, for women under the age of 40, after having one child with
Down syndrome, the chance of having another baby with Down syndrome is 1
percent. After age 40, the recurrence risk for Down syndrome is based on
the age of the mother at delivery. It is important to know that about 75
percent of babies with Down syndrome are born to women under the age of
35. This is because women under the age of 35 have more babies than women
over 35. The physician may refer parents to a genetic specialist or
genetic counselor who can explain the results of chromosomal tests in
detail, including what the recurrence risks may be in another pregnancy
and what tests are available to diagnose chromosome problems before a baby
is born.
Prenatal testing is available to help diagnose or rule out chromosomal
abnormalities and other genetic birth defects. Testing may include blood
tests, ultrasound (using sound waves to look at internal structures),
chorionic villus sampling (testing the tissues around the fetus), or
amniocentesis (withdrawing a sample of the amniotic fluid).
Risk of miscarriage and maternal age:Some studies have shown a higher chance of miscarriage (early
pregnancy loss) in older mothers. When considering all women, about half
of first trimester miscarriages occur because of a chromosomal abnormality
in the fetus. Because these abnormalities increase with maternal age,
miscarriage is also more likely.
If you are pregnant and over the age of 30, talk with your physician
about your individual health and discuss plans for helping you and your
developing baby maintain a healthy pregnancy.
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